For better mental health, throw in some quicker running
MANY STUDIES HAVE attested
to the power of moderate exercise in boosting mental health. But could even bigger
gains be made by pushing yourself a little harder on a regular basis? Yes, according to a new study in The Journal
Of Sports Medicine And Physical Fitness. Researchers gathered data from healthy young adults and compared their physical activity levels and cardiorespiratory fitness
(using their VO2 max) with their score from two mental
health questionnaires. Interestingly, they found that cardiorespiratory fitness had a
greater impact on mental health. In other words, the subjects doing harder exercise had better mental health than
those doing similar amounts of moderate workouts. That’s not to say all your runs need to be a challenge – adding in one or two tougher workouts a week might boost both your physical and mental wellbeing.
Catherine Life Weblog 